Not Today
by ScapeArtist
Summary: After the blowout with Emma and Charming, Hook's drinking habits are impacted. Filler for "A Curious Thing" (ep 3.19) and part 7 of my Captain Charming "Drinks with the Prince" series.


**Aaaahhh! The angst is getting to me! I thought the last two episodes were going to kill me, but then this happened. Since there wasn't another obvious place to put interaction between Hook and David, I needed to overlap their last scene on the show and go from there. Thanks to everyone who has been sticking with the series. I appreciate it very much. I'd say happy reading, but well... ;)**

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Emma had taken back one of the few precious things she had given him — her trust — and he'd hardly begun to process all the implications of what that meant before he was blindsided again, this time by David. His blow knocked loose the only other important gift she'd shared with Hook — a family he could be a part of.

"She's right not to," David said of Emma's reneging of her trust as he and Snow walked up to them, interrupting their confrontation. "He's lied about more than just this."

Hook couldn't fathom what David was on about. He stilled as he looked at the Prince — the man he'd considered a friend until the hard tone of David's voice made him reconsider — and his whole body tensed as he waited to hear the sound of a sword being drawn.

Instead, Snow spoke up to elaborate on David's accusation. "You said you brought Emma to Storybrooke because you received a message _from us_ with a memory potion."

"Aye, what of it?" Hook asked, still confused. That was the assumption he'd been working with since the day he'd received the flying missive. He'd not been told or even shown otherwise and they seemed the most likely candidates to have sent him on his quest. They, more than anyone, should have wanted — _needed_ — their daughter back. He wasn't seeing where the lie was.

"We didn't send you any message." _There it was_. Proof in their minds he remained a villainous, lying scoundrel. Assuming the worst of the pirate when it suited them. _Bollocks to that._

"Well I got one!" he bit out, looking at each of them in turn, the hurt etched in the crease between his brows and disbelief in his voice. As if Emma's words before, rescinding her trust, didn't cut him to the bone, the fact that she could barely look him in the eyes now salted the wound. He wanted nothing more than for her to really see him — to believe in what he was saying, at least, despite his misstep with Henry's safety. He needed her to trust in her "superpower" to know he was being honest. But she couldn't if she refused to even meet his eyes. "It's the truth!" he cried. The dubious look David exchanged with Snow mangled the small shred of patience he had been clinging to since Emma questioned his role in Zelena's plans. "Somebody bloody well sent me the message. Who else would have an antidote? Who else would know where to find the savior?" Hook asked with a desperation that echoed in his ears.

"I don't know, Hook, you tell me," David challenged.

"Don't you think I'd've told you if I knew?" Hook asked.

"Given what you've been keeping from us the last couple days, no. I don't," David said simply but with a sharpness that nailed Hook where he stood.

Hook was taken aback. "This is madness," he said tremulously. He shook his head and bit back a bitter laugh at the damage laid out before him...because of Zelena...and because of himself, too. "I'm not what you think I am," he said quietly. He looked at each of them again, one-by-one, his gaze lingering on Emma who looked pained and disappointed and as off-kilter as he felt. But she said nothing, damning him to a place outside of their circle. His jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth trying to contain his utter frustration as his world slid off its axis. The longer he stood there, the more their silence and his "should'ves" pressed in around him until he was flattened by the weight of his decisions and their judgment.

Hook bowed slightly in Emma's direction then ground his heel and fisted his hand, trying to curb his impulse to punch David in the face, as he turned and walked away from them. There was nothing left to say that they would entertain as truth so he would say no more and be with them no longer. At least not where they could see him. He made a promise and he was going to keep it no matter what they thought of him. He would show Emma they were wrong about him just as he had before.

He'd almost reached the door when he heard the click of determined footsteps across creaking floorboards. His heart raced at the thought of Emma coming for him, but his own step faltered when the footsteps abruptly halted and David said, "Let him go." Needing to put more distance between him and this...misunderstanding gone horribly awry, Hook quickly exited the boat house, turning the corner to the docks where the larger boats were moored...where the Jolly Roger would be if she were here. The soft touch of snowflakes alighting on his face and hair cooled him down small measure by small measure and his rough breath curled and gusted in the cold afternoon air as it began to steady. He continued walking until he spied a dot of red bobbing between a rack of dinghies.

Letting out a small huff, Hook called out, "Coast is clear, Mr. Smee. You can come out now. The flying monkeys have been routed for the moment."

Peeking out from behind one of the small boats, Smee looked to the sky for confirmation before he stepped out and sidled up to Hook.

"What about the witch, Captain? And...and...the boy?"

"The lad's with Regina currently, and Ms. Swan sent the witch on her way for the time being."

Eyeing the vessel moored closest to them, Smee confessed, "I think I might like to head to New York anyway if it's all the same."

Hook gave a half-hearted smile. "I wouldn't advise it, Mr. Smee. Something tells me none of us will be getting away that easily."

Smee nodded slowly. "So noted, sir. I think, then, I will find myself a nice hole-in-the wall to wait this out in then."

"Probably a good plan," Hook agreed.

"And, Captain, I remember everything now. The last year, the Jolly Roger..."

Hook gave Smee a hard look and said in his most even tone — the one he knew frightened Smee the most — "And you will keep that knowledge to yourself, Smee. Am I clear?"

Smee met his gaze unblinking. "Yes, Captain. Crystal."

Hook nodded at the roundish man then tipped his head toward the path away from the docks. "I suggest you go find your hole, Smee. I suspect things in Storybrooke are about to get stormy."

"Good luck, sir," Smee said sincerely before he scampered off, looking over his shoulder at the sky every few steps.

When Smee was out of sight, Hook retrieved his flask, popped open the cork, and brought it to his lips. He half expected David to appear, ready to partake as had become his habit when they were together, and especially if Hook was drinking already, but when no such intrusion upon his solitude occured, Hook took a generous swig and let out a long breath. He could understand Emma's anger with him, but David's betrayal was less apparent and far more damaging. He'd never given them any reason to doubt his true intentions and the more he thought about it, the more his anger weighed down his gut and set fire to his mind. A drink from his flask connected the two like the thick ropes that tethered a ship to a dock.

Hook hung his head and looked into the water, the small disturbances from the snowfall rippling the water gently outward, circles crossing and crashing into each other in a dance he understood all too well. Especially at this moment. But as the snow tapered off, the water calmed and Killian let the majority of his anger dissipate along with it. Now was not the time to indulge in his hard feelings. Perhaps later...after Emma defeated Zelena. But not today.

As much as he despised skulking about, that's exactly what he did after he spotted Emma and her family at Granny's where Henry was returned to Emma's supervision. From the back hall of the diner, he overheard them talking about visiting Neal's grave now that Henry remembered his father, so he began the walk to the graveyard before they left so he could make sure there were no surprises awaiting them. The cloud laden sky and snow dusted sidewalks muffled the sound of his boots on the concrete as he hastily made his way to the wooded area where the townspeople laid their own to rest. He found a large tree not far from where Neal was buried to stand behind and he waited for their arrival.

He missed Neal...missed Bae. Missed what could have been with him — a friend and brother. Someone he could share a drink with. Taking out his flask, he toasted Neal just as he heard David's truck enter the cemetery. Once again, David's timing was uncanny. Hook toasted him, too, and what was obviously not meant to be. The Savior wasn't the only one whose lot in life was a singular existence it seemed.

Hook watched as Emma and Henry approached the grave, rose in the boy's hand. He couldn't hear what any of them were saying, but he didn't need to. He just needed to be close. To be the guardian so they could grieve anew in peace. Hooks eyes darted from Henry and Emma over to David and Snow who stood back from their daughter and grandson. A few undisturbed moments later, the visit drew to a close, punctuated by a surprised gasp from Snow who clutched at her belly. David's quick, frantic movements and raised voice telling her to breathe, followed by him rushing off, told Hook all he needed to know. That storm he warned Mr. Smee about had just formed on the horizon and it was going to be a doozy.


End file.
